WORCESTER 
For the longest time, soccer moms and hockey dads have sacrificed chunks of their precious time to get their offspring to practice, games and meets.

Now, American society is being introduced to the “gymnastics parent.”

On Saturday, hundreds of these parents trekked over to the DCU Center so their children could catch a glimpse of the young gymnastic stars taking part in the 2013 AT&T American Cup.

“It does take a bit of time getting your kid to all the practices during the week,” said Thomas Ribaudo, who made the trip to the competition from Stoneham with his 12-year-old daughter, Megan.

Organizers of this weekend’s competition said that more kids have taken up gymnastics, in large part because of the continuing success of Americans competing over the past two decades in the Summer Olympics.

The enthusiasm is so passionate that hundreds got to the arena before the competitions began just to get an autograph of U.S. Olympic gold medalist Aly Raisman, a particular favorite of youth gymnasts across the country.

Ms. Raisman competed in Worcester at the 2010 American Cup, and her young fans said that with hard work and a little success, they might follow in her shoes.

The AT&T American Cup showcases a mix of the world’s gymnasts and rising stars, many of whom aren’t much older than the kids who packed the seats yesterday. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, about 600,000 youngsters compete in organized gymnastics and that number is steadily growing.

Megan Ribaudo, a student at the Mystic Valley Regional Charter School in Stoneham, said she has been practicing gymnastics since she joined a local club six years ago.

She admitted that she gives up a lot to practice.

According to her dad, Megan usually spends four hours a day, five days a week practicing.

Mr. Ribaudo said his other two children — Jacob, 7, and Payson, 10 — have no interest in gymnastics, though they are active in more traditional sports such as soccer, hockey and swimming.

“I think gymnastics are great because one really has to work at it,” said Mr. Ribaudo. “It also keeps kids out of trouble.”

Megan said she likes gymnastics because of the teamwork.

“We all work together,” she explained, noting that “graduates” of her youth gymnastics club often stop by to mentor the younger kids.

While Megan gives up a lot to practice, Mr. Ribaudo said his daughter has to keep up with her schoolwork.

“Her school is very challenging, and the homework has to be done before she goes to practice,” he said.

Leslie King, a spokesman for the event, said that nearly 4,600 showed up for the American AT&T Cup this year.

During the early morning session, the rink area was nearly filled with fans who heartily applauded the young athletes being introduced. The American contestants, including Danell Leyva of Miami, who won a bronze medal at the last Olympics, received an especially warm welcome.

After the singing of the national anthem, the crowd settled down to watch Sergio Sasaki of Brazil open the competition’s first rotation, with an array of flips and cartwheels across the main stage.